Safety appliance for railway-trains.



9 R. 0. MILLARD.

S AFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY1 7,1907.

PATEN'TED MAR. 17, 1908.

s SHBETS-PSHEET 1.

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' "11 111531 zoo I Qttouwgs No. 882,157. PATENTED MAR. 177 1908.

' n. 0. MILLARD.

SAFETY A1"; IAN'GE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS. APPLIOA'IAW1 i'ILBD JULY 11, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2y 'FMAJM v PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908, R 0. MILLARD. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

' APPLICATION nun JULY1'7, 19m.

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avwewl oz P- a. llara ROBLEY MIL-LARD, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBLEYIC. MILLA D, citizen of the United States, residing at. Ate lanta, in the county of Fultonand State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Appliances for Railway-Trains. ofwhic-h the following is a' specification.

It is common in the 0 eration of railway systems to subdivide the ine of railway into blocks or sections an d'to provide cooperating means mounted upon the train to give warnmg in the event of two trains occupying the same block or section.

T heresent invention-has relation to systems'o the character aforesaid, and addition provides for automatic control of the train so as to prevent either head-on or rearend collisions.

In accordance with this invention the main line of pipe connecting the several cars of a train and normally containing air under pressure for controlling the brake apparatus, is rovided with an electrically controlled va ve which under favorable conditions is actuated'to vent the main pipe and admit of a setting of the brakes, said valve under normal conditions. beingclosed, to admit of the tion.

For a full understanding of the invention andthe merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge .of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to behad to the following description and accom anying drawings.

VVhi e the invention may be adapted to di f ferent forms and conditions by changes 1nthe structure and minordetails without departing from the spirit oressential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a section of railway trackshowing two locomo-- tives traveling in the same direction, the

valves and the electric means for controlling said valves. .Fig. 2 isa detail view of the trolley. Fig. 3 1s a view similar to Fig. 1,

showing the locomotives in the same section or block, and the valves to relieve pressure in the main pipe linesjto admit of automatic application of'the brakes. Fig. 4 is a VIBXV similar toFig. 3, the switches being reversed so as to send the current through. the controllers by means of which the valves in the to advance;

Corresponding and 'like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated" Patented March 17, ieo'sl Application filed J'uly'17. 1907. Serial No. 384,245. I

in all the views of the drawings. by the same reference characters.

It is tobe understood that each trainis to be similarly equipped and since the 1000.-

motive is the essential element it is usually provided with the safety appliances and in the present instance. is illustrated as, representative of a train, car or like moving part. The. railway track is shown at 1, and may be of usual construction, the rails being electrically bonded inuthe accustomed way, to admit of their use as return conductors.- The third rail 2, is representative of a conductor for conveying the electric current to the safety appliance of the trains or the like movin part. The line of railwa'y is subdivided into blocksections of any 'desired length, usually about one. mile while the-rails of the track are bonded to form in effect, continuous conductors, for return of the current,

the third rail 2 is divided into sections which latter are electrically'insulated in any wayto prevent the formation 'of-a gap which- .would cause the trolley or brush to jump.

Each train, that is, locomotive or like mov-.

ing part, is similarly equipped and is' provided with avalve 3,; electric controls4and 5 and switches 6 and 7'. Each electric control 4 and 5 consists of an electro magnet and its armature, said ele'ctro magnet bein in-f' cluded in a circuit together with switches 6 and 7, each circuit containing a battery or One wire as 9, is elec-v trically connected with a. wheel 10,. and the current generator 81 oppos te wire. 11 is electrically connected with-a trolley or brush 12,-arranged:to operate on the thirdrail or electric conduct-0R2;

'Ijhe trolley or-brush 12-may be of any design and .ismounted so as to be raisedor lowered and is'under control of the. engineer,

inotorma'n, or other operator .of'the train.

A wire 13 connects the switch arm or blade of the switch 6 with one terminalof'the' helix of the electro-magnet {rand a'wire 14 connects the opposite terminal of said helix. ,A' wire .l5 connects the fixed contact 'of. the

with the. fixed contact of the switch 7.

switch 6 with one terminal of the helix of the electro-magnet 4, the op )osi-te terminal of said helix being connected b 'wires 1 6 with the switch blade or arm 0 the switch?- -.brakes.

action.

When the switch 6 is closed and the switch 7 is opened, a current passing through the circuit represented by the vwires 9 and 11,

energizes the electro-rnagnet of the controller 4 and moves the valve 3 to open the same thereby permitting the confined air to escape withthe result that the valve controlling communication between the air reservoir" and the brake cylinder is opened, and air passin into the-brake cylinder sets the 'The 0 .the two-fold 0 cc of retarding the speed of "the train and at the same time admonishing the engineer or operator that the blocker section is occupied, thereby giving-ample.

opportunity for the engineer or operator to act as may be deemed advisable to avert an accident. then ope the switc 6 and close the switch 7 thereby ausingthe current to pass through the electro-niagnet. of the electric controller 5, and 0 eratingthevalve 3t0 close the same wit the result that the brakes are released, the engineer approaching cautiouslywith his engme under control so as to stop in an instant, should the exigency arise.

-'The valvev 3 may be of any construction and is interposed in the length of the main line- 17, and isadapted to be opened and closed by electric controllers 4 and 5. -A

cross head 18 attached to the operating part tins for railways,- the ventin Of'the main".

pipe line effects the application or set of the rakes, remains closed, the brakes are held out. of

when one train only occupies a block or section the circuitincluding the electric con .trollers remains open, but n1 the event of 50' two trains similarly equipped, occupying the same block or section, ,the safety circuits :of each are closed, and the brakes automatically set and'at the sarnetime engineers or operators warned'of impending danger.

' 'lt is to be understood t at theswitches 6 are normally closed-and the switches 7 open,- as indicated most clearly in 1 hence upon 'eration of the brakes serves The en ineer or operator may ether of said electric controllers, according and so long as the main pipe line Under normal conditions, that is,

closingot the saiety circuits by two trains occupying the same section, the electric controllers 4c areenergized, and the valves 3 opened, thereby'venting the main pipe line with the result that the brakes are autorna tically set. The engineers may then bring their trains to a standstill, or may openthe switches 6 and close the switches 7, thereby releasing the brakes and at the same time advancing cautiously with their engines under control to immediately bring them,to a standstill as they approach, thereby averting a casualty.

Having'thus'described the invention, what is claimed as new is r iii-In railway safety appliances, the combination of a valve for ventingthe main pipe line controlling the brake mechanism, 619C? to effect a setting of the brakes, and the other to close said valve to-release the brakes.

. 2; In combinatioh with railway safety appliances, the'combination of a valve in the main pipe line for controlling the brake apparatus, electric controllers for operating said valve both to open or close the same,

and switches for controlling the. current to send the same either through one electric controller or the other, according as the valve is to be opened or closed.'

3. In railway safety appliances, the combination of a valve for controlling the brake mechanism, an electric circuit, electric-controllers in the circuit for opening or closing said valve, and switches in said circuit for directing the current through one or the as the valve is to be opened or closed.

4. In railway safety appliances, the com bination of a valve for controlling the brake I mechanism, a cross head having connection with the operatingpart of said valve, electric controllers each consisting of an electro magnet and its armature, the latter having a portion extending in the path of the aforesaid ci'oss head, an electric circuit including said electric controllers and switches for directing the current through one or the other of the electric controllers, according as the valve is to be opened or closed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' RQBLEY C. MILLARD.

witnesses:

D, D. BALLUW, L. J; HILLsEY.

.tric controllers for said valve, the one for opemngthe same to'vent the main pipe line 

